Door lock



F. J. TEED DOOR LOCK Feb; 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1953m m m m ATTORNEYS.

F. J. TEED Feb. 21, 1956 DOOR LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1953INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 2,735,708 7 DOOR LOCK Floyd J. Teed, South Bend, Ind.,assignor, by mesne asslgnments, to Studebaker-Packard Corporation, acorporation of Michigan Application February 24, 1953, Serial No.338,306 2 Claims. (Cl. 292182) My present invention relates generally todoor locks, and, more specifically, is directed to a door lock forautomobiles.

I means may be installed for proper operation with a minimum ofadjustment.

It is a still further object of my present invention to provide lockmeans of the character noted, which may be installed on all existingmodels of automobiles.

In the accomplishmentof the aforementioned objects, I provide a lockmechanism on each side of the automobile. Each lock mechanism comprisesa lock plunger which is engageable with the lower edge of the adjacentrear door for maintaining the same in a locked position. Each lockmechanism further comprises an actuating plunger which is engageable bythe lower edge of the adjacent front door. The actuating plunger and thelock plunger on the same side of the automobile are interconnected by aflexible cable. When the actuating plunger is depressed by the closingof the front door, the lock plunger is conditioned for being distendedinto locking engagement with the rear door. When the front door isopened, the actuating plunger is distended under the action of springmeans which causes the flexible cable to withdraw the lock plunger fromengagement with the rear door. It will be quite apparent to thoseskilled in the art that the lock means are operable independently of therear door handles. Thus, a four door automobile, equipped with the lockmechanism of my present invention, retainsthe convenience of aconventional four door automobile while attaining the safety of a twodoor automobile.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner ofconstructing and using door locks in accordance with the principles ofmy present invention, I shall describe in connection with theaccompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of my present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a four door automobile with whichthe door lock of my present invention is embodied;

Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the door lock of Figure 1, takensubstantially along the line 2-2, with portions being broken away forthe sake of clarity;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the positions of the actuatingplunger and the lock plunger with the rear door closed and the frontdoor open; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the positions of the actuatingplunger and the lock plunger with the rear door closed and the frontdoor closed.

Referring now to the drawings, there is indicated generally by thereference numeral 10, a four door automobile with which the door lockmechanism 11 of my present invention is embodied. Although a lockmechanism 11 is shown on only one side of the automobile 10, it is to beunderstood that a similar lock mechanism is employed on the side of theautomobile 10 opposite to that which is shown in Figure 1.

The automobile 10 comprises a car body 12 to which a front door 13 issuitably hinged along its forward vertical edge. The car body 12 furthercomprises a center A generally horizontally extending scufl plate 21 issecured to the car body 12 immediately below the front door 13. Asimilar generally horizontally extending scuff plate 22 is secured tothe car body 12 immediately below the rear door 15.

The forward scufi plate 21 provides support for conditioning meansindicated generally at 23. The condithe car body 12. by a pin 36 fixedin the cylinder 25 and engaging a flat 37 formed in the side of theplunger 27.

Longitudinally extending bores 28 and 29 are formed in the opposite endsof the actuating plunger 27 and the bores are interconnected by a throatportion 30. A helical compression spring 31 is disposed in the cylinder25 and extends into the lower bore 28 formed in the plunger 27. Anopening 32 is formed in the lower end of the cylinder actuating plunger27 thereby causing the latter to be depressed inwardly of the cylinder25 against the force of the spring 31 for a purpose to be described morefully hereinafter.

The rear scuif plate 22 provides support for lock means indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 24. The lock means 24, which isassociated with the conditioning means 23, comprises a cylinder 41 whichis disposed through an opening formed in the rear scuff plate 22adjacent the rear end thereof. The upper flared end of the cylinder 41is suitably secured by a plurality of screws 40 to the scuff plate 22.

Disposed within the cylinder 41 for reciprocating movement is a lockplunger 42 in which is formed, at the opposite ends, longitudinallyextending bores 43 and 44. The bores 43 and 44 are interconnected by athroat portion 45. Disposed within the cylinder 41 and extending intothe lower bore 43 formed in the lock plunger 42 is a helical compressionspring 46 which exerts a lesser force than that exerted by the spring31. Extending through an opening 47 formed in the lower end of thecylinder 41 is the other end of the afore-described flexible cable 33.The said other end of the cable extends upwardly through the spring 46and the throat portion 45. Secured to the upper end of the cable 33,within the upper bore 44 formed in the plunger 42, is a collar member48. The upper end of the lock plunger 42 is inclined downwardly awayfrom the car body 12. Rotation of the plunger 42 is restrained by a pin38 fixed in the cylinder 41 and engaging a flat 39 formed in the side ofthe plunger 42.

The operation of the lock mechanism of my present invention is asfollows:

Referring to Figure 3, it will be observed that when the front door 13is open, the lock plunger 42 assumes a position out of engagement withthe opening 20 formed in the door molding 18 of the reardoor 15, thuspermitting the rear door to be opened in a conventionalmanner.Theilockplunger 42 assumes the position shown in Figure 3 dueto'the factthat the spring 31 associated with the conditioning means 23 exerts agreater spring-pressure than the spring 46associated with the lock means24. Due to this differential in spring pressures, when the front door 13is opened, the actuating plunger 27 is urged upwardlyto the'positionshown in'Figure 3, which causes therportion of the plunger-27 adjacentthe throat 30 to engage the'collar member 34 for urging the latter,together with the fiexible cable 33, upwardly to the position shown inFigure 3. This movement of the forward end of ithe cable 33 causesdownward'movement of the rear end of the cable 33 associated with theloc; means 24-. Thus, the collar member48 engages the portion of theplunger 42 adjacent the throat 45 thereby causing the plunger 42 to bedrawn inwardly of the cylinder-41 and out' of engagement with theholeformed in the rear door molding 18.

'Now, if it is desired to lock the rear door against opening, the frontdoor 13- need only be closed, which, as shown in Figure 4, causes theplunger 27 to be urged inwardly of the cylinder against the force of thespring 31. Asthe plunger 27 moves inwardly of the cylinder 25, theflexible cable 33 becomes slack thus permitting the spring 46,associated with the lock means 2-4, to urge the lock plunger 42 upwardlyinto the opening 20 formed in the rear door molding 13, thereby lockingthe rear door in a closed position.

It is to be understood that the lock plunger 42, even when extended,is'yieldable relative to the cylinder 41. Thus, the rear door 15 may beclosed even though the lock plunger 42 has been distended prior to thedoor 15 being closed.

It will be apparent-to those skilled in the art that the operation ofthe lock means 24 associated with the rear door 15-of the automobile isconditioned for operation by the conditioning means 23 which isresponsive to the closing of the front door 13. As a result of thisarrangement, the rear door 15'may be locked and unlocked by slightswinging movement of the front door 13. It is thus not necessary forpersons in the front seat of the automobile to get out of the automobileto open the rear door as is necessary with presently known safety doorlock mechanisms.

It is to be further observed that the actuating plunger 27 and the lockplunger 42 are adjacent to the rear edges ofthe doors 13 and.15.alongside of the front and rear seats respectively. Thus, theseprojecting members are a completely removed from the normal entrancespace of the front and rear doors thereby eliminating the danger.thatthe-shoes or clothing of passengers might catch-there- Now, while Ihave shown and described what I believe to be a preferred embodiment ofmy present invention, it will be understood that various modificationsand rearrangements may be made therein-without departing from the spiritand scope of my present invention.

I claim:

1. A door lock adapted for use on a structure having first and seconddoors hinged to the frame of the structure said door lock comprising alocking plunger engageable with said first door for locking said firstdoor, actuating means associated 'with said second door and beingoperable to effect movement of said locking plunger into lockingengagement with said first door when said second door is closed andeffect movement of said locking plunger out of locking engagement withsaid first door when said second door -is opened, said actuating'meansincluding an actuating plunger engageable with said second door, aflexible cable interconnecting said locking plunger and said actuatingplunger, first spring means disposedbetween said frame and said lockingplunger, and second spring'means disposed between said frame and saidactuatingplunger'having a greater force than said first spring means.

2. Adoor lock'adapted for use on a structure having first and seconddoors hinged to the frame of the structure said door lock comprising alocking plunger attached to said frame immediately below said first doorand being engageable with said first door for locking said first door,actuating means associated with said second door and being operable toeffect movement of said locking plunger into locking engagement withsaid first door when said second door is closed and effect movement ofsaid locking plunger out of locking engagement with said first door whensaid second door is opened, said actuating means including an actuatingplunger attached to said frame immediately below said second .door andbeing engageable with said second door, a'flexible cable interconnectingsaid locking plunger and said actuating plunger, first spring meansdisposed between said frame and said loci-:- ing plunger, and secondspring means disposed between said frame and said actuating plungerhaving a greater force than said first spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,790,104 Levitt et al. Jan. 27, 1931 2,145,968 Bozarth Q Feb. 7, 19392,323,358 Shannon et al. July 6, 1943 1 2,507,328 Ashley May 9, 19502,548,242 Rosenbarger Apr. 10, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 186,424 SwitzerlandNov. 16, 1936

